Like all other municipalities in South Africa, the City of Cape Town levies rates on properties to finance its service delivery programmes. These rates are based on the market value of the properties as reflected in the City's Valuation Roll. The Valuation Department is responsible for
the production and maintenance of this Valuation Roll in terms of prescribed legislation.

There are over 700 000 properties in the city, including residential, commercial and other
properties - and, in terms of the The Municipal Property Rates Act (2004), these properties
have to be re-valued at least every four years to take changes in the property market
into account.

At least once a year the City produces a Supplementary Valuation Roll to take new
properties and additions and alterations to existing properties into account. This requires City valuers, staff and contractors to visit properties on an ongoing basis so as to ensure that the Valuation Roll stays current and that property rates are levied in a fair and equitable manner.